Motivation -- vent

[gcvmom]

Okay, I'm really struggling lately with boredom and lack of motivation. There is SO much to do around my house that I alternate between feeling overwhelmed and not really giving a darn about the state of disarray. I know this will pass, but it's been gnawing at me and I HATE it!

And in the back of my mind I'm worrying about all sorts of mundane things: difficult child 1's school issues that I have to RIDE him about daily, supervising difficult child 2's homework DAILY, finances (double ugh), I have to get paint bids for the house, I need to get stuff fixed on the car, I need to exercise (never seem to get my butt moving towards that goal), I have boxes and bags of STUFF in the garage to sort through, our guestroom is a disaster of toys and stashed STUFF... AAAARRRRGH! And I keep thinking that I can't start any big project because in a few hours I have to go pick up the kids and start the afternoon homework routine. Lame excuse, I know. Did I mention I feel overwhelmed?

So what do I do? I sit down at the computer and check my email or play Spider solitaire, or look at the news headlines, check to make sure Herbert's still in the yard, water the potted plants... blah, blah-blah, blaaaaah.

I don't feel like I'm sleeping well, either. So I have my morning cup of joe so I can just function well enough to get the kids off to school, and then I'm too wired to go back to sleep...

I do a little bit here and a little bit there -- empty the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, empty the garbage, sort through papers and trash stuff... That's part of the problem. We have so much STUFF. I know, I just need to chip away at it. It's hard to take my own advice.

Sigh.

Okay, well I guess I just needed to pi$$ and moan a little today.

Maybe it's time to change my medications... Maybe I just need my butt kicked...

 

[flutterbee]

I believe you are officially in a funk. So much to do that you don't even know where to start. All these worries nagging away in your mind making everything else seem like too much.

Start small. Don't set time lines. Try something for sleep if that helps - melatonin or something. And don't beat yourself up. You have a lot on your plate. You're entitled to this.

(((hugs)))

 

[witzend]

I think if we take it in little bites, these things are easier to swallow. I took an on-line class this last couple of months to update my bookkeeping skills. Thank goodness I went online to check something about one of the lessons, otherwise the final would have totally gotten past me because I was going to avoid it until the last day. (I did it right then and got 100%.)

I'm great at finding something else to do. I even do something that counts as "work" rather than do the work that I need to do until the last minute. Like doing laundry or vacuuming instead. I also waste lots of time on the computer and in front of the tv. But I know I'm not doing what I should do, and I get sooo tense. My jaw is killing me because I grind my teeth so bad.

I don't have advice to offer, I guess. Only the ability to say you're not alone. If your family is fed and warm and getting where they need to be, you're not failing them. Do what you can to get what has to be done, done. Laundry and cleaning can wait. Are your kids helping with any of this? Maybe you could have one of them fold the towels, or whites? I hate having anyone else do the laundry because something of mine always gets ruined. But husband or the kids could (and husband still does) fold the easy stuff, or hang up the obvious jeans and so forth. It wasn't always this way. He's only just now learning that he has to do these things or they won't get done because with my health it just is too much sometimes. If he goes without clean undies for a day or two he knows enough to get out the laundry basket and get things started.

I hope that your family will be able to help you out, too.

 

[Star*]

Well =

If yer gonna pi$$ in MY office bathroom - aim for the decopagued fly now living in the toilet - and they can chuckle and go - oh WHAT? But I KNOW for a fact it's aimed for.

Walk - that's all I cand tell you to you.....

I'm walking so much more at this second job, and even working 15 hour days - I'm feeling a lot better. I sleep better.....and drink a little (just a little) less coffee.

Seriously thinking about asking Marcie for some of her Jack the Jill coffee from Nicaragua.

Take HERBERT for a WALK.

 

[Love the sunshine]

My mom always said "It's amazing what we can get done when we are supposed to be doing something else". How true that is. I get that overwhelmed feeling sometimes too. I seem to go in phases. At times I'm fine with things, then all of a sudden, I look around and realize how much needs to be done and it drives me crazy. For me, it could be hormones though. I have to tell myself that there will never be a time when EVERYTHING is done. There will always be something so I just need to relax.

It sounds like you're doing a wonderful job getting the day-to-day things done. For all of the extras, would it help to make a list and check them off when you get to them? That way you can take them off your shoulders and put them on paper. If you need to put the paper in a drawer for awhile, so be it.

 

[gcvmom]

Yup, Heather, this definitely qualifies as a major funk. Maybe it's the low after the excitement in Vegas last weekend, or maybe it's just the realization that I'm always going to be two steps behind where I want to be...

Witz, the kids definitely should be doing more -- but they aren't because of my inconsistent monitoring. Oh well. You're right, though. They're fed. They're clothed. They get to where they need to be. I can chalk this up to Heather's funk and hope tomorrow's a bit more productive

Star, your advice is spot on -- I DO need to get my butt out of the computer chair and walk more. Maybe I'll start tonight and just go down the hill and back up. That would be a good start...

And LTS, husband does really well with lists and I think I could learn from him. It always feels good to cross something off

 

[Hound dog]

As for the house........pick a corner and start from there, work your way out. Don't plan it out ahead of time, just do it. If you get a whole room done wonderful. If not, well you got that part done and you can start again when you don't have other pressing things to do.

That is the only way I can do it once it's reached the overwhelmed stage. If I try to look at the whole picture I just want to run away. lol

Walking is a wonderful idea. Builds up your energy levels more than you'd think. And I really need to get back into it myself, I just can't seem to find the time. blah Still I may start this weekend. Autumn is my fav time of year and I haven't even been out long enough to enjoy it.

(((hugs))) Hope the funk lifts soon.

 

[Steely]

All I can say, is
I am with ya...........
I have been working on this one for years.

Hang in there, and let me know if you come up with anything.
Hugs.

 

[KTMom91]

I'm with ya, too, and have been for several years. I think in some ways I'm afraid to start a big project, because something happens to stop me...like breaking my leg while redoing Miss KT's room, and starting to paint the bathroom and ending up with knee surgery and a bathroom that has parts primed, parts with one coat of new color, parts that haven't been touched...

Sending hugs. It's frustrating.

 

[gcvmom]

As if someone upstairs were listening... an acquaintance called today offering me a tray of homemade lasagna (she'd made a double batch and has been thinking of me since husband's surgery in February)... and by the way she walks with another person I know twice a week, sometimes three on her own if she can swing it. SOMEBODY'S trying to tell me something, maybe?

difficult child 2 brought home a less-than-stellar progress report today to add to my angst... a few too many F's and D's on there for my stomach. I emailed the teacher asking for a conference since some of the grades don't add up to what he's brought home. Sigh. It's so hard to balance letting go so they learn to be responsible, and staying involved enough so they don't hang themself, isn't it?

 

[mrscatinthehat]

Can't tell you how many times I start the cleaning and not get there. Now if I were somewhere else boom I could get it done but not my house. I keep starting but it just readds itself to where I started and I have to start over. With ya....

beth

 

[gcvmom]

Yeah, my mom says it's a well-known fact that other people's chaos is easier to clean and organize than our own!

 

[witzend]

Yeah, my mom says it's a well-known fact that other people's chaos is easier to clean and organize than our own!

Your mom is a smart lady!